Lately, I have heard from many busy professionals who are finding it hard to make deep friendships after college/university and are lonely. I wanted to start the conversation and voice the common struggles I have heard. So I have a question for you: How do you find friends?

You sharing your story will provide others with the hope & support they need to persist through their struggles.

One of my goals is finding new ways to use technology to create an impact in people’s lives. You see, eight years ago in August 2010, I started a blog that changed my life. Clicking “publish” on my first post, when I was a graduate student with no blogging experience, was a big step for me. With no training in technology or business, and no blogging community, I had only my expertise in psychology and my passion to make an impact in the world as my adrenaline. I put in the long hours and hard work to build the blog. At that time, very few people were blogging and technology wasn’t as prevalent as it is now. Just for context, Instagram wasn’t launched until two months afterwards in October 2010.

From experience, I know that following your dreams takes courage, belief in yourself, and the right support. When I started as an entrepreneur and blogger, I knew no one who was on an unconventional route, so I started seeking a community of fellow women entrepreneurs to empower me on my route. Early on, I realized that you can’t do you your dreams alone. You need a supportive crew to help you along the way.

Along my path, I discovered the movie, Dream, Girl. When the movie’s Creator and Director, Erin Bagwell, reached out to me recently about the movie’s release online for free for all to see, I had to invite Erin to be back on The Self-Discovery Retreat. For those who may remember, Komal Minhas (producer of Dream, Girl) and Erin were on the site back in 2015.

For me, 2017 can be summarized as “making bold moves.” It has been a year of growth. A year of getting the courage and taking action. The year I “went for it” and turned big ideas into reality.

This is the time of year when people send out yearly updates in holiday cards, so think of this as my personalized holiday letter to you. With the holiday season upon us and 2018 around the corner, I have been reflecting on 2017 and all that has happened on my personal journey, especially my big move.

What has been the biggest cause of frustration and/or stress in your life?

The first word that comes to mind for me, a female founder, is “money.” During a recent conversation with a friend, I realized that money is keeping me awake at night and a daily stressor. Perhaps it is for you too?

There are so many challenges facing entrepreneurs! It takes a lot of hard work and perseverance to turn a dream into reality. Many of us just roll up our sleeves, don’t complain, and keep moving forward! But lately, I have been called to voice the financial struggles.

For as long as I can remember, I have been an older sister to two of the most strong, talented, and beautiful of women. I love them dearly. They inspire me daily to be my best self. So because my sisters and others are reading and learning from me through my blog, I wanted to share a story that serves as a good reminder that it’s not that you fall that matters, it’s that you get back up!!

For the past few months, I have taken a break from the blog after regular posting. During that time I was going through a lot and my mental energy was being depleted. So to empower myself, I disconnected and took a much-needed break to recharge. Truly speaking, I was exhausted from work and personal stuff. So instead of posting online on the blog, I spent my time with notebooks and my camera, envisioning the next steps for the online space I have spent the last seven years creating. Now, I am renewed and energized. Making myself a priority in the busy world of entrepreneurship was exactly what I needed.

The world needs our kindness.As you know, I am on a mission to use my platform to spread positivity and kindness globally. Earlier last month, my sister discovered The Kindness Diaries on Netflix and simply told me I had to watch it. So, I did. If you haven’t seen the series, it is about a man (Leon Logothetis) who travels the world relying on the kindness of strangers.

An online presence is commonplace these days. The online environment can really help you thrive by connecting with others!

Since starting my blog six years ago, I have talked to many people who are fearful of showing up and being seen online. Due to this fear, they either don’t put themselves out there or if they do, they do it in a way that doesn’t showcase their strengths. It takes courage to put yourself out there and be seen on a global stage; one bad occurrence may stop you completely. I can relate.

Here you are a smart, strong, beautiful young woman who graduated and is now working hard to make your way in the world. You are ambitious and have this fire in your heart to make the world a better place. You want your voice to be heard and have the capabilities to lead. Yet, on your rise to the top, you are having a hard time being taken seriously and being seen as more than a just pretty face. Sound familiar?

On my personal journey developing a career as a professional woman, I have been dealt many waves to de-stabalize me along my way; some involve criticism, some relate to unequal power dynamics. These waves can get me off my game, faking me out to believe I am unworthy or that my voice doesn’t matter.

“You’ve been dealt a lot of waves on your path,” a friend commented recently while talking with me about my first years as an entrepreneur. Without hesitation I replied, “Good thing I’m an amazing paddler!”

Hope you are having an awesome holiday season. I can’t believe it is almost 2017. Check out the top self-discovery quotes taken from blog posts from the past year. Then be sure to click on their name to read the full article. Also check the Instagram feed @theariannamerritt to see the quotes as images!

Today, I am excited to bring you one of my role models, Andrea Burk. Through sport, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Andrea several times. She lights up the room with her awesome smile and infectious energy. She has achieved great success in women’s rugby, as well as in speaking and leadership development.

Today, I invited Maria Gonzalez to share with us how taking care of herself through mindfulness has elevated her business and personal life. Maria Gonzalez (BCom, MBA) is an award-winning and best-selling author and a 30-year business veteran as a corporate executive and entrepreneur. She believes that Mindfulness transforms lives and organizations, and that it has the potential to transform society. She has been meditating regularly since 1991 and teaching Mindfulness since 2002. I’m so grateful to share her wise words with you all!

How can self-care REALLY help my career? Do I really have to make it a priority?

These are common questions I am often asked by busy people trying to stay afloat. With all the demands of our fast-paced lives, many of us put ourselves last and think of self-care as sleep.

However, putting ourselves on the backburner isn’t good for us. I couldn’t agree more. Self-care is so much more than sleep. We need time to think, create, and innovate. So I invited Jac to share how making self-care a priority has empowered her as a wife, mom, and owner of two businesses.

Teaching is a demanding job; it has been said to be one of the most stressful jobs, as it can be 24/7 focusing on students’ needs. Camosun College psychology instructor Dr. Judy Caldwell has been teaching 1st and 2nd year psychology courses at Camosun for the past 16 years. Over that time, she has learned how to find work/life balance. I had the pleasure of working with Judy for a year while I was the department’s Instructional Assistant. Being in her presence and seeing the bright energy she brought to the classroom daily, I had to ask her to share her insight to inspire our days to be more positive.

This is a question that is near and dear to my heart. Being born and raised in Ottawa, I am very familiar with Canada’s political landscape. From my experience, one key strategy to increase women’s participation in government is through connecting with mentors. For example, at an event in 2014, I had the privilege to hear the Hon. Michelle Rempel, MP, speak. Afterwards, I realized that I was the only young woman under the age of 50 in the room. I emailed her after sharing that fact, and she called me. Over our chat, she empowered me to be the change I wish I to see in the world. Since then, I have been driven to get more involved in politics and encourage other girls and women to stand tall and be change agents too.

That teacher is Sue B. Zimmerman who is the industry go-to Instagram expert. I saw Sue speak at Social Media Camp 2016 last May. She inspired me even before she took the stage, as the stage was filled with fun hashtag signs and brightly-coloured props. On the podium, Sue inspired the audience with her positivity and passion, encouraging us to be as excited as she is about Instagram! She gave us practical examples for making Instagram simple. After her talk, Sue was available to connect personally; she taught my friend and I how to take an awesome selfie. Months later, I am still inspired by Sue - as both a role model and teacher. As my “thank you,” I am introducing you all to her today, as I know many of you are looking for quality resources to amplify your online presence.